Robeson getting $2M from FEMA for flood work

ATLANTA — Robeson County has been awarded more than $2 million in federal money to demolish, reconstruct and elevate 15 residences destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.

The money is part of $16.8 million awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to North Carolina to mitigate future flood loss. The agency announced Tuesday that the money is intended to fund seven more projects to elevate, remove or reconstruct 186 residences in the towns of Fair Bluff and Windsor, and in Johnston, Pender and Wayne counties.

The monetary announcement had not reached Robeson County leaders as of late Tuesday afternoon.

This grant announcement is in addition to the $11 million in Hurricane Matthew relief money announced in June for Robeson County, said Hallie Anderson, a FEMA External Affairs specialist. Tuesday’s release concerns sub-grant awards for different properties than the June announcement.

The federal agency will pay 75 percent or $16,869,832 of the $22 million cost of these projects, according to a FEMA news release. The federal share of the funds comes from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Wayne County will receive more than $7.8 million to acquire and demolish 75 residences located in a special flood hazard area. Once the structures are removed, the sites will be left open as green space in perpetuity.

The town of Windsor will get a total of $5.2 million to remove or minimize future flood loss to 40 residences located in a special flood hazard area. Thirty residences will be acquired and demolished, and 10 residences will be elevated, in accordance with Bertie County’s floodplain damage prevention ordinance.

The town of Fair Bluff will use a total of $3.6 million to acquire and demolish 34 residences located in a special flood hazard area. Once the structures are removed, the sites will be left open as green space in perpetuity.

Pender County will receive more than $2 million to elevate 14 residences located in a special flood hazard area above the base flood elevation. These structures experienced damage because of flooding from the Cape Fear River and Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Matthew.

Johnston County will use $1.5 million to acquire and demolish eight residences located in a special flood hazard area. The homes were damaged due to flooding caused by Matthew. Once the structures are removed, the sites will be left open as green space in perpetuity.

More than $11 million in Hurricane Matthew relief money for Robeson County was announced recently by U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, a Republican from Charlotte. The money is to be used to buy out, elevate or replace 119 flood-ravaged homes.

A $4,507,487 grant will be used to purchase and demolish 47 residential structures in Lumberton that were flooded during Hurricane Matthew. The deeds will be transferred to the city of Lumberton to be used as open space.

A $1,831,867 grant will be used to elevate 20 residential structures in Lumberton to prevent damage from future floods. A $3,307,963 grant will be used to replace and elevate 34 residential structures in Lumberton that were destroyed when the hurricane roared through the county in October 2016.

And a grant of $1,800,821 grant will be used to buy and demolish 18 residential structures in Robeson County that were damaged by floodwaters generated by Hurricane Matthew, according to Pittenger. The deeds will be transferred to Robeson County to be used as open space.

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